No "Wheeled Devices" Permitted at Town Center

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

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Over time there has been an increase in trick bicyclists and skateboarders in and around the Town Center area. This activity not only causes damage to curbs, benches, plaza areas and other property that is maintained by the City of Virginia Beach, but it also poses a risk of personal injury to innocent bystanders as well as the riders themselves.

There are city codes prohibiting this behavior. These codes are not new, and the decision has been made to begin taking official action to dissuade continued occurrences. These infractions will be consistently addressed by the Virginia Beach Police Department in an effort to keep our City beautiful, and safe.

Signs have been installed to reinforce the regulation that "No Wheeled Devices" are permitted in or around the Town Center area.​

The city ordinances are specified below. Our goal is to educate the public about this additional enforcement campaign, so that voluntary compliance can be obtained.

**** For clarification, “electrical personal assistive
mobility device” is the legal term for Segway Scooters or similar devices.
Wheelchairs and self-propelled wheelchairs are not restricted in the Town
Center ordinance.​

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to ride on any sidewalk or plaza in the Town Center an all-terrain vehicle, bicycle, electrical personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, motor-driven cycle, motorized skateboard, motorized scooter, moped, roller blades, roller skates, scooters or skateboards, or a pedal-powered vehicle that is muscle-powered or any other muscle-powered device.

(b) For purposes of this Section, the term "Town Center" means the area bounded by and including the sidewalk on the south side of Virginia Beach Boulevard, the Norfolk Southern Corporation property line, the sidewalk on the east side of Independence Boulevard, and the sidewalk on the west side of Constitution Drive.

(c) A violation of this Section shall be punished by a civil penalty of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00).

§ 46.2-904. Use of roller skates and skateboards on sidewalks and shared-use paths; operation of bicycles, motorized skateboards or foot-scooters, motor-driven cycles, electric power-assisted bicycles, and electric personal assistive mobility devices on sidewalks and crosswalks and shared-use paths; local ordinances.

The governing body of any county, city, or town may by ordinance prohibit the use of roller skates and skateboards and/or the riding of bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, motorized skateboards or foot-scooters, motor-driven cycles, or electric power-assisted bicycles on designated sidewalks or crosswalks, including those of any church, school, recreational facility, or any business property open to the public where such activity is prohibited. Signs indicating such prohibition shall be conspicuously posted in general areas where use of roller skates, and skateboards, and/or bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, motorized skateboards or foot-scooters, motor driven cycles, or electric power-assisted bicycle riding is prohibited. A person riding a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, motorized skateboard or foot-scooter, motor-driven cycle, or an electric power-assisted bicycle on a sidewalk, shared-use path, or across a roadway on a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing any pedestrian.

No person shall ride a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, motorized skateboard or foot-scooter, motor-driven cycle, or an electric power-assisted bicycle on a sidewalk, or across a roadway on a crosswalk, where such use of bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, motorized skateboards or foot-scooters, motor-driven cycles, or electric power-assisted bicycles is prohibited by official traffic control devices.

A person riding a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, motorized skateboard or foot-scooter, motor-driven cycle, or an electric power-assisted bicycle on a sidewalk, shared-use path, or across a roadway on a crosswalk, shall have all the rights and duties of a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

A violation of any ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall be punishable by a civil penalty of not more than $50.